Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
1848
Description
Here is a cleaned and corrected version: **1848 entire letter from Agra, dated July 8th, addressed to Simla, received July 11th, and redirected to Mussoorie via Meerut. The cover bears redirected “Bearing” datestamps filled in with manuscript charge marks, with further markings on the reverse. A fine and important pre-stamp letter, showing the uncommon boxed Meerut “Bearing” handstamp and the unusual U.P.O. / “Bearing” marking dated July 12th.** **Famously known as the “Quadruple Bearing Cover,” this is one of the most important pre-stamp covers of India. Both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps are unrecorded. This is believed to be the only known cover bearing both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps.**
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Umbalah
13 marks13 other pre-1854 postal markings of Umbalah are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Umbalah HG 1handstampRed1844–1850
- Umbalah HG 2handstampBlack1846
- Umbalah HG 3handstampRed1845-47
- Umbalah HG 4handstampRed1845
- Umbalah HG 5handstampBlack1845
- Umbalah HG 6handstampBlack1848–1849
+7 more at this office.View all Umbalah marks and postal history →
About this Umbalah pre stamp cover
COV-567 is an Umbalah pre stamp cover of 1848 bearing the Umbalah HG 7a handstamp, struck in black, recorded in the census of Umbalah postal history — the office known today as Ambala, Punjab. What is a pre stamp cover?
Here is a cleaned and corrected version: **1848 entire letter from Agra, dated July 8th, addressed to Simla, received July 11th, and redirected to Mussoorie via Meerut. The cover bears redirected “Bearing” datestamps filled in with manuscript charge marks, with further markings on the reverse. A fine and important pre-stamp letter, showing the uncommon boxed Meerut “Bearing” handstamp and the unusual U.P.O. / “Bearing” marking dated July 12th.** **Famously known as the “Quadruple Bearing Cover,” this is one of the most important pre-stamp covers of India. Both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps are unrecorded. This is believed to be the only known cover bearing both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps.**
Its recorded auction history runs through Auktionen Gaertner lot 734.
2 images of COV-567 are recorded (front); the Umbalah HG 7a mark itself is recorded in use 1848.
Questions about COV-567
- What is COV-567?
- COV-567 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Umbalah, Punjab of 1848, bearing the Umbalah HG 7a handstamp in black. Here is a cleaned and corrected version: **1848 entire letter from Agra, dated July 8th, addressed to Simla, received July 11th, and redirected to Mussoorie via Meerut. The cover bears redirected “Bearing” datestamps filled in with manuscript charge marks, with further markings on the reverse. A fine and important pre-stamp letter, showing the uncommon boxed Meerut “Bearing” handstamp and the unusual U.P.O. / “Bearing” marking dated July 12th.** **Famously known as the “Quadruple Bearing Cover,” this is one of the most important pre-stamp covers of India. Both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps are unrecorded. This is believed to be the only known cover bearing both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps.**
- How scarce is the Umbalah HG 7a mark on this cover?
- The census grades Umbalah HG 7a as 1 example recorded, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1848.
- What is the provenance of COV-567?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Auktionen Gaertner lot 734.
- When was COV-567 posted?
- COV-567 is dated 1848, within the recorded period of use of Umbalah HG 7a (1848).
About this record
This 1848 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Umbalah HG 7a handstamp of the Punjab, a mark with 1 example recorded in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Auktionen Gaertner, lot 734.